Hello, community,
We would like to share the drafts of each proposal following the discussions we had at the DCL DAO: Regenesis Summit in Lisbon. These drafts are being released at the same time as the poll to kickstart the governance process, which is now open for voting.
Our goal is to gather feedback and ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the plan as it develops. We encourage you to share your thoughts during the voting period of the poll, as your input is crucial in shaping the future of the DAO.
Title
Deprecation of the Current Decentraland DAO Grants program and Bidding and Tendering process.
Summary
This proposal aims to deprecate the existing Grants Program and Bidding and Tendering process in favor of a more strategically aligned and efficient way of managing and allocating DAO funds.
Abstract
This proposal calls for the deprecation of the current Grants Program and Bidding and Tendering process within the Decentraland DAO to create a more effective, strategically aligned funding model.
Upon approval, both programs will be frozen, with no new proposals accepted. Active projects will continue under the supervision of the Grant Support Squad, and the Revocations Committee will be dissolved. Historical data on funding will remain accessible.
Deprecating these programs is critical for addressing inefficiencies and ensuring future funding aligns with Decentraland’s long-term vision. A concurrent proposal for a new funding model is also under consideration, aimed at enhancing transparency and resource allocation.
Motivation
Despite allowing direct community-driven funding decisions for the past four years, these programs have faced several key issues, including vote influencing based on personal connections, community tension over securing votes, and inefficiencies in proposal submissions. Many funded projects have failed to meet expectations, leading to resource misallocation and grant revocations, while the programs lack alignment with Decentraland’s long-term goals:
- Vote Influencing: Participants often lobby for votes based on personal connections rather than project merit, undermining the objectivity of the funding process.
- Community Tension: The pressure to secure votes has created tension within the community, shifting focus from evaluating projects to garnering support, which compromises fairness and transparency.
- Inefficiencies in Proposal Submission: Rejected applicants must restart the process, causing delays and discouraging project creators, which slows ecosystem growth.
- Resource Misallocation: A significant portion of funded projects have not met expectations, resulting in wasted resources and grant revocations.
- Lack of Strategic Alignment: The current program does not prioritize advancing Decentraland’s long-term goals, leading to the approval of projects that do not contribute meaningfully to ecosystem growth.
To ensure more effective use of the DAO’s treasury and support Decentraland’s strategic vision, a new funding model is required, and these programs should be deprecated.
Specification
Deprecation of the Current Grants program and Tender process:
- Effective immediately upon approval, both the current Grants Program and the Bidding & Tendering process will be frozen. No new Grant, Pitch, Tender, or Bid proposals will be accepted, and no budget will be allocated.
- Active projects (with an active Vesting Contract) will continue and will be supervised by the Grant Support Squad (GSS), and the Revocations Committee will act if it´s needed.
- The Revocations Committee will be dissolved as its role in accountability becomes unnecessary without this program.
- The Projects Dashboard will still be available on the Governance dApp and the historical information on funds allocation will still be available on the Transparency stack of the DAO.
Conclusion
Deprecating the current Grants Program and Bidding and Tendering process is vital to eliminating inefficiencies and aligning funding with Decentraland’s strategic vision. This move will stop the resource drain and pave the way for a more transparent, fair, and strategically focused funding model.